research proposal uni of edinburgh

• Schools & departments

Writing a research proposal

A guide for writing a research proposal for all MScR, MPhil and PhD degrees in the School of GeoSciences. 

If you are applying with your own project, you need to include a research proposal with your application. The proposal should not exceed four (4) pages in length for PhDs and two (2) pages for MScR.

Your proposal should contain the following headings:

Please upload a PDF document in A4, font size 11, Arial or another sans serif font equivalent in size. 

Further guidance

The University has provided a comprehensive guide on writing a proposal.  

You can view or download it as a PDF:

This article was published on 2024-07-01

IAD4RESEARCHERS

Researcher development at the university of edinburgh.

Writing Research Proposals

Write for yourself before writing for a research funder The most important element to proposal writing is understanding where each proposal fits into your own research strategy. You want to make sure you’ve mapped out your own research idea(s) without bearing in mind the needs and wants of any particular funder. This research strategy will grow and adapt over time, but it will be unique to you and your research ideas. Once you know it, it will make writing proposals much clearer and more strategic, as well as helping you to identify funding. If you need help getting started on drafting a research strategy, Edinburgh Research Office has resources to help you. Resources for Research Strategy and Planning

Understand what’s available Getting an idea of what a fellowship entails, and how that differs from a research grant; or a network, can be vital to understanding what funding you require to support your research. Writing for each type of application can differ and this will have an impact on the amount of preparation you will need to make, what external partners you might need to access or collaborators that might be involved in writing the application and delivering the research. Resources for Proposal Writing

Understand the landscape Proposal writing is a competition.  Roughly 75% of the applications you write won’t be successful. That means that a lot of your research ideas won’t be funded the first time around, and they may require re-submission, re-purposing, or re-positioning to find the right external funding to support them. Having a clear research strategy will make that process much easier, as you can plan option A, B and C for each idea in advance – making your research application ‘pipeline’ clear and manageable from the outset. This way you can tailor each aspect of your research strategy to fit the funders you hope will support it, but if that plan doesn’t go smoothly you are able to quickly adapt to another funder. Usually the right funder for you is the one that funds you. Resources for Understanding and Influencing Funding

Use your network Read successful applications. This can not only help you learn what goes into a proposal, but it can also help you become familiar with the funders themselves, what sort of language to use and what is possible within each of the grant schemes. Colleagues within the University have access to an online selection of curated applications. It can also be worthwhile to ask peers to share their successful applications with you. All of this background reading can also help you develop your idea. Make sure these are recent and successful as application forms and criteria will change over time so it’s important to avoid any unwanted surprises by getting familiar with the latest funder requirements. View Successful Research Funding Applications

Know your audience Understand the funder you are writing for, as well as the type of funding you are requesting. We can give you advice on writing for a fellowship and how that differs from writing a research grant – but also make sure you understand how your grant fits into that funders concept for each grant they fund, by getting to know the funders themselves. This can be essential in helping you to craft your application. We also provide information and support to help you become familiar with the UK funding landscape, as well as being able to assist the technicalities and specifics of European funding. UK and EU Funding Insights

Plan your applications well in advance – and understand the funder process This can also extend to understanding any internal selection processes that might be in place at the University. Some funders will set a limit the number of applications an institution can submit and so there may be internal selection processes in place for these demand managed calls. View details and requirements of Demand Managed Calls

Where to start? Once you have developed a research strategy, you will want to consider what research schemes you will want to apply to get your research funded. There are a number of ways to find funding calls to suit the needs of your research strategy, and our funding opportunities hub can be a good place to start. This contains a curated selection of calls and is updated regularly. If you want something more long-term and tailored to you, then you can set yourself up bespoke funding searches and alerts using *Research Professional. View Funding Opportunities Hub

Keep in touch As well as producing and maintaining the resources mentioned here, we run year-round events focused on crucial elements of winning research funding. In addition this we also maintain a blog highlighting relevant events, tips and the latest information of research funding.

ERO Events | What’s on

Edinburgh Research Office blog

Al Innes is Research Development Officer at Edinburgh Research Office, here at the University of Edinburgh.

November is Academic Writing Month. This annual event was established as a way to support academic writing via the #AcWriMo hashtag on Twitter. During November 2021, the Institute for Academic Development run WriteFest, a local contribution to this academic writing month, with the aim of bringing people together to raise awareness and celebrate academic writing.  If this blog has inspired you to start writing, book onto one of our online half day writing retreats or researcher writing hours:  https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/research-roles/writefest 

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• Help & FAQ

Preparing a research proposal

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• Schools & departments

Dissertations and research projects

General advice and resources to support you throughout your research-based dissertation or project.

This is a general resource to help you with the basics of organising and writing a research-based dissertation or project.  The 'Go further' section at the end includes advice on work-based dissertations and signposts other resources.

You should consult your course or programme information, including online sources, and project supervisor or programme director for subject-specific guidance.

Dissertations and research projects are an opportunity to focus on particular question, and plan and undertake your own research to explore it further.  Many students really enjoy being an independent researcher and becoming the expert on their work.  The format varies depending on the disciplinary context, subject area, your research questions and the project.  You may be reviewing the literature, analysing a novel, developing and testing a new method or doing a work-based project.  However there are some common factors:

• They are an independent piece of work.  You will be working under supervision to some extent and may be collaborating with others, but ultimately you are submitting a piece of independent thought and writing.
• They tend to have a large word count.  This is to allow you to do sufficient in-depth analysis and discussion of the topic.
• They require a large investment of time, thought and energy throughout the process.  As a significant body of academic work, you need to maintain effort whilst reading, researching, thinking, writing and redrafting it.

Choosing your dissertation or project

Whether you are choosing your dissertation from a selection of topics or you are proposing your own, there are a range of factors to consider.  For example:

• What is the starting point for your work, i.e. previous or related research?
• How feasible is your project / proposal?
• Do you have enough time and resources to complete it?
• Will it be of an appropriate academic level?

A key question to ask is “How interested am I in this topic?”  You will be working on your dissertation or project for some time, so having a genuine interest in the topic will help to keep you motivated.  If you have any questions specific to your topic or project, you should ask your supervisor, programme director or another member of staff who teaches you.

Planning your dissertation or research project

A research-based dissertation or project is a large piece of work requiring a high level of critical analysis.  To achieve this you will have to allow time, not just for the researching phase, but also for the writing and editing stages.  You will need to give yourself plenty of time to:

• Read around your topic and undertake background research;
• Digest and think about what you are learning and writing;
• Complete experiments, fieldwork, interviews or project placements;
• Analyse data, findings or results, and interpret them;
• Think about and decide on your conclusions.

Taking a project management approach to your dissertation or research project might be a more effective way to successfully complete it.  The Time management page has tips and tools for organising your time.

Time management webpage and tools

The dissertation and project planner can be used to think about the different stages and help give you an overall view of the process.  There are some general points and questions to act as prompts, spaces you can add your own notes in and some useful tips and resources.

Dissertation and project planner (pdf)                     Dissertation and project planner (rtf)

Writing your dissertation

You should not underestimate the time that should be allocated to writing your dissertation.  Writing will involve planning, background research, drafting, redrafting, and proof-reading and editing.

First draft : Your first draft is about getting words on the page.  For example, it may sketch out your first thoughts, arguments and potential structure.  You can review these and use them to check: are you focussed on the right topics and questions?  Is your structure and line of thought sensible?  This is also a good time to set up your format requirements (e.g. page layouts, references).

Redrafts : Redrafting is where you expand and refine your ideas and argument.  You may also find that as you are writing the direction of your argument changes; for example this could be due to your literature research producing new avenues of thought or your experiments turning up unexpected results.  This is a good time to review the focus of your initial question, and whether your arguments or conclusions are still sensible.

Final draft(s) : Your final draft(s) is where you cast a critical eye over your work and assess how effective it is in communicating your argument and conclusions - does it answer the question?  You should also check that your presentation, spelling and grammar are appropriate and polished, all your references are included, and your are following the appropriate format guidance.

It is a good idea to take a break between writing and reviewing your work.  Try to leave at least a day between writing before you pick it up again, the longer the better.  This allows you to look at your work with an analytical eye, looking for ways to improve.  Imagine you are reading your work as someone who is not so familiar with the topic: would a reader be able to follow and understand your argument?  Do your ideas link?  Have you signposted on from one section to the next?  Remember also to look back at your question/title, does your dissertation address it?  Does it follow a logical structure?

To check the flow of your argument or line of reasoning you can test pieces of your text using set criteria.  To help revise and restructure your text you can make a reverse outline.  Both of these techniques are available on our Editing and proofreading page.

Editing and proofreading

Producing a professional document

Information Services provide information and guidance about how to produce a thesis or dissertation using Microsoft Word.

Producing a thesis or dissertation using Microsoft Word (EASE log in required)

Thesis Hub: Producing your thesis or dissertation in Word

Choosing a reference manager

A referencing management tool can help you to collect and organise and your source material to produce a bibliography or reference list.

Referencing and reference management

Data Mindfulness

As part of your research you will produce and use research data in a variety of forms from quantitative and/or qualitative research.  This may be data you generate yourself or obtained from other researchers, data repositories or public records.  You need to make choices about what you use, handle your data correctly and document all of this process.

The University’s Research Data Service helps staff and students be effective with their research data before, during and after their project.   They have created an introductory handbook on Data Mindfulness for taught students writing a dissertation.  This handbook is accompanied by a set of short videos.  Together these cover topics including what data is, how to store it, file organisation and dealing with your data after your hand-in.  There is advice in the handbook on working with sensitive data and issues such as privacy, confidentiality and disclosure.

Data Mindfulness handbook

Data Mindfulness videos

Work-based dissertations

Many courses and programmes, particularly at Postgraduate level, offer the opportunity to carry out a work-based dissertation.  These opportunities vary between Schools and Programmes but will typically involve students tackling a research question identified by an organisation such as a business, a public sector organisation or a charity.  A work based dissertation project can be invaluable for your employability and for career development.

If you are interested in carrying out a work-based dissertation you may need to start planning earlier than you would for a more traditional academic dissertation.  If your Programme offers this opportunity, you will be given this information at the start of Semester 1.  If you would like to source and set up a dissertation project with an external organisation yourself, you will need to speak with your Programme Director or Course Organiser first.

You can draw on resources developed by the Making the Most of Masters project.

Making the Most of Masters

Work-based projects – advice for students

There are a variety of study guides available on dissertation and project writing.  Books aimed at postgraduate students can also be useful for undergraduates.  Our IAD Resource List has a selection available in University libraries.

Study Skills Guides

This article was published on 2024-02-26

• Schools & departments

Fellowships

Information and resources to help you plan and develop a fellowship application and find potential funders.

What is a Fellowship?

A fellowship is a type of research proposal that aims to fund an individual researcher for a significant amount of their time to develop a broad research vision.

UK and international funders offer many fellowship opportunities, some at post-doctoral level where you would carry out the fellowship with support from a more senior academic, and others schemes for more senior researchers aiming to demonstrate their research independence, to support them in transitioning from a researcher position to an academic position.  Winning a fellowship grant can help you to secure a permanent academic position at a UK University, as it demonstrates that you have developed and planned a novel research programme that you are best placed to lead. 

Early Career Research Fellowships and Research Grants | Edinburgh Research Office

Things to Think About

A fellowship proposal is a big undertaking, and unfortunately most schemes receive many more applications than they are able to fund.  You need to plan your application in detail and in advance.  Here are some things to think about...

Discuss your career options

Discuss your career options with your supervisor / line manager / mentor – your annual review or  P&DR is a key opportunity for this discussion, but you should do this regularly and well in advance of the end of your contract.  The Code of Practice for the Management and Career Development of Research Staff is an important document to refer to, as it allows expectations to be set for the research project and a research staff member's own development. 

Annual Review Guidance for Researchers

Code of Practice for the Management and Career Development of Research Staff

Develop your Research Vision

Start to develop your own research ideas, using your own unique skills and experience.  You may be able to apply for smaller seed funding grants to network or do preliminary investigations to test your idea.  Your research vision is the research activity you would like the fellowship to fund, this should be a broad research topic that you would like to build your academic career around.  It should be distinct from the work of your supervisor and complementary to the work of your host School/Institute. 

The University of Edinburgh might not be the most appropriate place to deliver your fellowship, if you are thinking of applying with another host institution you should start to make contact with them, they may have a selection process you need to engage with before they are willing to submit your bid.

Identify Appropriate Funders

If one of your career options is a fellowship application, start to identify appropriate funders for your research idea.    Investigate where your colleagues, group or Institute get funding from or use ResearchProfessional to identify other funding streams

Finding Funding

Login to ResearchProfessional  [external link]

How to use ResearchProfessional

Fellowship holders

Look up people that have won fellowships from the funder you want to apply to, visit the funder’s website, read their annual report, search researchgate or google scholar.  Compare that person’s publications, citations, prizes and impact to your own - Do you have a similar track record?  What do you need to do to get to that level? 

Funder Priorities

Take time to investigate the priorities of your chosen funder, you might need to

• Make links with specific research groups or centres;
• Develop relevant collaborations internationally, with clinicians, patient groups, industry, policy makers;
• Discuss your proposal with academics that regularly review proposals or sit on peer review panels for your chosen funder;
• Consider the actions you need to take to ensure your research has impact;

Get in touch with the funder directly, or attend their briefing sessions or webinars to understand if your research is interesting to them.

Plan your timeline

You should think about

• Time to develop your research profile including publications, collaborations, industry/user engagement, feasibility or proof of concept data
• Time for an application to an internal or small grant fund to support preliminary data collection or networking
• Time to develop your research vision – this is the research activity you would like the fellowship to fund, this should be a broad research topic that you would like to build your academic career around.  It should be distinct from the work of your supervisor and complementary to the work of your host School/Institute
• Discuss your plans with your line manager and Head of Centre – request their support to develop a fellowship application
• After internal approval you should plan 6 months to put together a full fellowship application  - especially if you don’t have much experience of writing research grants
• Time for internal review from your colleagues.  People are very busy, build in enough time for them to review your proposal and time to allow yourself to make amendments
• Time for the funder to process you application – UKRI and other large funders take about 6-8 months from the point you submit your application to the funder letting you know the outcome.

Support & Advice

Make sure you ask for support and advice, you might want to consider discussing your application or your potential application with

• Your Line Manager or Supervisor
• Your Academic Colleagues, particularly those that hold, or have held fellowship funding
• Your Head of Group, Centre or Institute
• Your School or Institute Research Manager
• Research Funding Team, Edinburgh Research Office, University of Edinburgh
• Institute for Academic Development , University of Edinburgh

Applying for a Fellowship with University of Edinburgh as an External Applicant

If you are not currently a staff member at University of Edinburgh and are interested in undertaking your prospective fellowship with us we'd be happy to hear from you.  We support fellowship applications from external applicants reguarly.  Please contact a relevant academic staff member within the School/Institute you would like to be based within to discuss your potential application, someone that can support your application and potentially act as a mentor to you during the application process.

Please get in touch with this person early, at least 6 months before the funder deadline.  There are sometimes selection procedures for certain funding schemes which may have already identified the University's preferred candidate if you leave it too late.

Your academic staff contact will be able to introduce you to the relevant research office in their School and arrange meetings with the Head of Centre/School/Institute as appropriate as well as provide any information on selection processes you need to engage with.

Training & Resources

Institute of Academic Development Funding Skills Workshops

A Comprehensive Guide to Fellowship Applications | Institute for Academic Development

Applying for a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship  | Edinburgh Research Office Blog

Proposal Writing Support [Your University Login required]

Successful Funding Applications

This article was published on 2022-11-17

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How to Write a Good Research Proposal -University of Edinburgh

Introduction

This guide intends to provide practical information for students who have been asked to submit a research proposal as part of their application for admission to a research degree. It is also relevant to students who are applying to external bodies for postgraduate research funding.

Research funding

In choosing where to do your research degree, a long list of factors will come into play: the academic reputation of the institution, the research expertise of academic staff, location, the quality of training offered and the availability of funding. There are several types of funding for postgraduate research: your own funds; external funding bodies such as charities and trusts; national and governmental agencies; employers and the private sector, and internal sources such as University scholarships, funded studentships and projects advertised by supervisors. It is a competitive process and will depend on your qualifications, experience and research aspirations.

How to identify funding sources

Investigating potential funding sources and preparing postgraduate research applications is a lengthy process, so you should allow plenty of time. It is not unreasonable to start approximately one year before your proposed start date.

Writing your proposal

Whether you are limited to one page (as part of a University application form or an enquiry form) or are required to produce something more substantial for a external funder, the rules about writing a good research proposal are the same. You want to stand out from the crowd and have the best chance of being selected.

University application s

Securing funding does not always guarantee an offer of a place at the university you are applying to. Whether you are applying to conduct your own research or to undertake an advertised project, you will need to apply for a place at the university of your choice before or at the same time as your application for funding.

Golden rules for postgraduate research proposals Contents: • Be clear, objective, succinct and realistic in your objectives • Ask yourself why this research should be funded and/or why you are the best person to undertake this project • Ask yourself why this research is important and/or timely • State and justify your objectives clearly (“because it is interesting” is not enough!) • Make sure you answer the questions: how will the research benefit the wider society or contribute to the research community? Style: • If space allows, provide a clear project title • Structure your text – if allowed use section headings • Present the information in short paragraphs rather than a solid block of text • Write short sentences • If allowed, provide images/charts/diagrams to help break up the text The process: • Identify prospective supervisors and discuss your idea with them • Avoid blanket general e-mails to several prospective supervisors • Allow plenty of time – a rushed proposal will show • Get feedback from your prospective supervisor and be prepared to take their comments on board • If applying to an external funding agency, remember that the reviewer may not be an expert in your field of research • Stick to the guidelines and remember the deadline

Content and style of your research proposal What to put in your proposal?

Student Recruitment & Admissions www.ed.ac.uk/student-recruitment Application processes are different for each University so make sure to follow the relevant guidelines provided by the institution you are applying to. However, if you are not given any guidelines on how to format your research proposal, you could adopt the suggested structure below. This is also relevant if you are applying for external funding or asking your employer to sponsor you to undertake a research degree. Suggested structure for a research proposal: • Title and abstract • Background information/brief summary of existing literature • The hypothesis and the objectives • Methodology • How the research will be communicated to the wider community • The supervisory provision as well as specialist and transferable skills training • Ethical considerations • Summary and conclusions Writing the proposal When writing your proposal, bear in mind that individuals reviewing your application will often have to read a large number of proposals/applications. So, well-presented and clearly written proposals are more likely to stick in the reviewer’s mind. Avoid long and convoluted titles. You will get an opportunity to give more detail in your introduction.

An abstract is a brief summary written in the same style as the rest of your application. It will provide the reader with the main points and conclusion of your proposal.

INTRODUCTION

• A well-written introduction is the most efficient way to hook your reader and set the context of your proposed research.
• Get your reader’s attention early on and do not waste space with obvious and general statements. The introduction is your
• opportunity to demonstrate that your research has not been done before and that the proposed project will really add
• something new to the existing body of literature. Your proposal does not have to be worthy of a Nobel prize but it has to be based on sound hypotheses and reasoning.
• You should provide background information in the form of a literature review which sets the context for your research to help the reader understand the questions and objectives. You will also be expected to show that you have a good
• knowledge of the body of literature, the wider context in which your research belongs and that you have awareness of methodologies, theories and conflicting evidence in your chosen field.
• Research proposals have a limit on words or pages so you won’t be able to analyse the whole existing body of literature.
• Choose key research papers or public documents and explain clearly how your research will either fill a gap, complete or follow on from previous research even if it is a relatively new field or if you are applying a known methodology to a different field.
• Journal articles, books, PhD theses, public policies, government and learned society reports are better
• than non-peer-reviewed information you may find on the internet. The University’s Library hosts online guidance on getting
• started with researching, managing your sources, and practical information on finding what you need in search engines.
• http://libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk/infoskills
• www.lib.ed.ac.uk/howto/searchstrat.html

MAIN BODY OF THE TEXT

• Honesty is one of the most important aspects in proposal development so avoid making over-ambitious claims about the
• intended research; what is proposed must be realistically achievable.
• When drafting the proposal, it is worth asking yourself the following questions and trying to answer them in the text:
• Why should anyone spend public, charity or corporate funds on my research and my research training?
• Who is my research going to benefit (the stakeholders) or be of use to (the end users)?
• Stakeholders and end-users include, for example, the research community, a professional body or groups of researchers,
• A particular group of people such as children, older people or doctors, the government, the industry, health services,
• social workers…… Try to be specific: stating that your research will benefit the world is perhaps a bit too vague!
• Is there evidence, for example in the literature, that my research will fill a gap in knowledge or a market demand? How
• will it build on the existing body of knowledge?
• Is my research timely, innovative and/or responding to a new trend?
• How will my research proposal address my training needs as well as, if applicable, the needs of my current employer?

You should also consider expected outputs to be achieved by the research such as a new database, fundamental knowledge of a new or existing field, publications, attendance at conferences, contribution to a new policy, development of a new technology or service….. It is also very useful to describe the milestones of your research projects (a time plan for every 6 months, for Year 1, 2, 3 or a Gantt chart). This will demonstrate to the reviewer or prospective supervisor that you have really thought of how you intend to conduct your research. But be realistic! Methodology – how will you achieve the research aims? It is important to present the proposed research methodology (e.g. techniques, sample size, target populations, specie choice, equipment and data analysis) and explain why it is the most appropriate methodology to effectively answer the research question. If space allows, it may be a good idea to justify the methodology by explaining what alternatives have been considered and why these have been disregarded. You could also point out how your project fits with the research environment of your prospective institution and why this institution is the best place to conduct your research, in particular if this will provide you with access to unique expertise, pieces of equipment or data.

About you The quality of your ideas combined with your ability to carry out the project successfully within your chosen Department/ School/Institute will be a useful addition to your research proposal. You may wish to provide a small section/paragraph to present how your research interests, previous achievements, relevant professional experience and qualifications will support the completion of your research project. Remember to highlight any project management, data analysis and critical thinking experience you may have gained previously. You could also highlight how a further period of research training will enhance your personal and professional development.

Avoid overly personal or vague statements but do try to point out: • The most important achievements of your (academic) career: degrees you have obtained, your IT skills, societies you were part of, work experience, successful projects you have been involved in and, • your best characteristics, e.g. motivation, enthusiasm, an inquiring mind, ability to carry out analytical work, a keen approach to research or ability to work independently. Dissemination If space allows, indicate how you will be communicating with colleagues and your supervisors as well as with the wider community and, if applicable the funding body supporting your research.

SUMMARIES AND CONCLUSION

• Well-written summaries and conclusions at the end of the proposal and/or at the end of each section can help a reviewer identify the important information. Make sure these are concise, clear and informative – some reviewers will start by reading the conclusions. Reviewers tend to have a large number of applications to review and/or to be very busy people. As a result, each proposal will only receive a short time. Your proposal has to stand out!
• The process of applying to external funding providers Rules, guidelines, eligibility and deadlines a surprisingly large percentage of proposals are rejected simply because they do not follow the rules and guidelines specified by the funding body.
• Deadlines are nearly always firm (unless called “rolling”) and it is highly unlikely that they would be changed for anyone. Follow the rules, guidelines and eligibility criteria to the letter! The funder has produced them for a reason and failure to follow these will almost guarantee the rejection of your proposal.
• Screening process The most popular funding bodies will have a very strict screening process which will be carried out before the reviewer gets to see the proposals.
• Any application which does not comply with rules and regulations, including editorial ones such as font size or number of pages will not be accepted.
• The number of proposals will almost always exceed the number of awards available so do not provide reasons for your application to be rejected on format.
• The application process Bear in mind that some funders have closing dates early in the year so it is a good idea to start the application as soon as possible (about a year before your proposed start date).
• Before you start developing the research proposal, it is worth researching your chosen funding body (whether it is a university or an external funding agency) and the web is a good source of information). Once an opportunity has been identified, you should ensure that you have checked:

Before you start writing

All funders (government funded research councils, universities, research charities, or private companies) have objectives to fulfill set by the people and organisations that they answer to, including stakeholders and financial supporters. When they invest in research, they are looking for that investment to help them achieve those objectives. For private sector employers, it may be to improve their business processes, increase their R&D potential or to train employees. For research charities, it may be to find ways to help particular groups of people such as those in unemployment or those affected by a medical condition.

Source:  https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/applying/ your -application/research-proposals

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Unlocking the role of environmental cues in phenological change

Phd research project.

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be successful. Unsuccessful projects may still go ahead as self-funded opportunities. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but potential funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

Accelerating innovation in ultra-widefield retinal imaging analysis through the development of foundation models that expand the range of tractable downstream analysis tasks

Funded phd project (uk students only).

This research project has funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

LACI-Cog: A pilot randomized controlled trial of isosorbide mononitrate and cilostazol in patients with vascular cognitive impairment.

Funded phd project (students worldwide).

This project has funding attached, subject to eligibility criteria. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but its funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

New approaches to the turnover of main-group catalysts for a circular chemical economy

Leveraging radiomics to predict glioblastoma multiforme microenvironment and personalise treatment planning, unlocking organic chemical reaction prediction with limited-data machine learning, gene therapy and cardiovascular disease, after the single use project phd studentship: eliminating single-use plastics in scottish healthcare, barocaloric organic ionic plastic crystals and prototype development, high-resolution imaging of the human neuromuscular junction, self-funded phd students only.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Adaptive and smart structures for operational variability and life extension

Vibration data and underlying physics for adaptive structural health monitoring, synergistic experimental and data-driven catalyst development for sustainable synthesis, combined experimental and computational study of high-pressure order-disorder transitions in soft crystalline materials, study history, classics and archaeology at the university of edinburgh - funding opportunities available, funded phd programme (students worldwide).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.

Humanities Research Programme

Humanities Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

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Guidance on the Dissertation Process

The first place to check is always your course information for any specific requirements. 

The Institute for Academic Development (IAD) have compiled general advice and resources to support you throughout your research-based dissertation or project. 

https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/study-hub/learning-resources/dissertations

Study Skills Guides resource list

Finding Resources

Top 5 tips if you’re stuck with your dissertation literature search

Are you stuck with the literature search for your dissertation or final year project? Not finding as much on your topic as you hoped? Here are 5 suggestions to help you move forward.

http://libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk/yourdissertation/2019/11/15/top-5-tips-if-youre-stuck-with-your-dissertation-literature-search/

For help with finding information online

https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/library-museum-gallery/finding-resources/library-databases/library-databases-about

SAGE Research Methods

A good starting point for information on research methods is SAGE Research Methods. 

It contains content on the steps involved in a research project, including a full range of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods for the social and behavioural sciences, as well as many methods commonly used in the hard sciences.

Topics: Key concepts in research, Philosophy of research, Research ethics, Planning research, Research design, Data collection, Data quality and data management, Qualitative data analysis, Quantitative data analysis,  Writing and disseminating research.

SAGE Research Methods also includes a  project planner  designed to guide you through a research project.

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Create your own research proposal

A research proposal is a short document that summarises the research you want to undertake. If you cannot find a suitable advertised project, this is a route to create your own.

When creating a research proposal, you’ll need to consider the question or issue you want to address with your project. Think about the background of the subject and how your research will be an original contribution to the field. You’ll also need to think about the methods you'll use to conduct this research. Your proposal helps us assess your suitability for a research degree and decide if we can offer you the right supervision.

Preparation

You may want to make contact with 1 or more potential supervisors to discuss project ideas. They may also be able to help with funding your degree .

You can search our academics to find a supervisor whose research interests align to yours. When you find a match, contact them to discuss your proposals. Allow time for responses and to consider their feedback.

Learn how to make a supervisor enquiry

Writing your research proposal

You should keep it clear, objective and realistic. Include:

• an outline of your research interests
• your initial thoughts about your topic
• clear objectives of what you aim to achieve or the question you want to address
• references to previous work
• why the research is relevant and original
• your proposed method and general approach
• why you believe the research should be funded
• how your skills will help to conduct the research
• any training you may need to undertake the project

How to structure your proposal

Your research proposal should include:

• a working title for your project
• up to 1,500 words (excluding a bibliography)

It’s best to write with short paragraphs and sentences. You can use images and diagrams if it’s appropriate.

Example structure:

• introduction statement (200 words)
• your background reading and the area you want to contribute to (400 words)
• your research question or issue to investigate (200 words)
• data sources, research methods and critical approaches to use (500 words)
• conclusion on how your project will contribute to the field (200 words)
• bibliography

Submit your proposal

Your potential supervisor will inform you of when to start the application process and how to include the details of your agreed project.  

More about how to apply

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• Defect categories and their realisation in supersymmetric gauge theory
• Defining the Marine Fisheries-Energy-Environment Nexus: Learning from shocks to enhance natural resource resilience
• Design and fabrication of next generation optical fibres
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• Environmental and genetic determinants of Brassica crop damage by the agricultural pest Diamondback moth
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• How do antimicrobial peptides alter T cell cytokine production?
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• Hydrant dynamics for acoustic leak detection in water pipes
• If ‘Black Lives Matter’, do ‘Asian Lives Matter’ too? Impact trajectories of organisation activism on wellbeing of ethnic minority communities
• Illuminating luciferin bioluminescence in dinoflagellates
• Imaging quantum materials with an XFEL
• Impact of neuromodulating drugs on gut microbiome homeostasis
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• Information theoretic methods for sensor management
• Installation effect on the noise of small high speed fans
• Integrated earth observation mapping change land sea
• Interconnections of past greenhouse climates
• Investigating IgG cell depletion mechanisms
• Is ocean mixing upside down? How mixing processes drive upwelling in a deep-ocean basin
• Landing gear aerodynamics and aeroacoustics
• Lightweight gas storage: real-world strategies for the hydrogen economy
• Long-term change in the benthos – creating robust data from varying camera systems
• Machine learning for multi-robot perception
• Marine ecosystem responses to past climate change and its oceanographic impacts
• Mechanical effects in the surf zone - in situ electrochemical sensing
• Microfluidic cell isolation systems for sepsis
• Migrant entrepreneurship, gender and generation: context and family dynamics in small town Britain
• Miniaturisation in fishes: evolutionary and ecological perspectives
• Modelling high-power fibre laser and amplifier stability
• Modelling soil dewatering and recharge for cost-effective and climate resilient infrastructure
• Modelling the evolution of adaptive responses to climate change across spatial landscapes
• Nanomaterials sensors for biomedicine and/or the environment
• New high-resolution observations of ocean surface current and winds from innovative airborne and satellite measurements
• New perspectives on ocean photosynthesis
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• Novel transparent conducting films with unusual optoelectronic properties
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• Ocean physics and ecology: can robots disentangle the mix?
• Ocean-based Carbon Dioxide Removal: Assessing the utility of coastal enhanced weathering
• Offshore renewable energy (ORE) foundations on rock seabeds: advancing design through analogue testing and modelling
• Optical fibre sensing for acoustic leak detection in buried pipelines
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• Partnership dissolution and re-formation in later life among individuals from minority ethnic communities in the UK
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• Quantifying the response and sensitivity of tropical forest carbon sinks to various drivers
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• The Gulf Stream control of the North Atlantic carbon sink
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• The calming effect of group living in social fishes
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• The evolution of symmetry in echinoderms
• The impact of early life stress on neuronal enhancer function
• The oceanic fingerprints on changing monsoons over South and Southeast Asia
• The role of iron in nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis in changing polar oceans
• The role of singlet oxygen signaling in plant responses to heat and drought stress
• Time variability on turbulent mixing of heat around melting ice in the West Antarctic
• Triggers and Feedbacks of Climate Tipping Points
• Uncovering the drivers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease progression using patient derived organoids
• Understanding recent land-use change in Snowdonia to plan a sustainable future for uplands: integrating palaeoecology and conservation practice
• Understanding the role of cell motility in resource acquisition by marine phytoplankton
• Understanding the structure and engagement of personal networks that support older people with complex care needs in marginalised communities and their ability to adapt to increasingly ‘digitalised’ health and social care
• Unpicking the Anthropocene in the Hawaiian Archipelago
• Unraveling oceanic multi-element cycles using single cell ionomics
• Unravelling southwest Indian Ocean biological productivity and physics: a machine learning approach
• Using acoustics to monitor how small cracks develop into bursts in pipelines
• Using machine learning to improve predictions of ocean carbon storage by marine life
• Vulnerability of low-lying coastal transportation networks to natural hazards
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• Will it stick? Exploring the role of turbulence and biological glues on ocean carbon storage
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Depending on the field of study you are interested in, you may be able to apply for a pre-defined PhD project, or you may need to develop your own research idea.

Research in the fields of medicine, science and engineering tend to require you to:

• apply for a project that already has specific, pre-defined aims
• compete for a place on a partially or fully funded programme (often with competitive application processes).

Research in the fields of arts, humanities and social sciences tend to require you to:

• develop your own research idea (be prepared to adapt your original idea)
• source your own funding, although some funded projects may be available.

PhD research projects

Doctoral training centres and partnerships, developing your own research idea, professional doctorates.

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• Opportunities

CALS Undergraduate Research Grants

Terms and dates:.

Kristina Harrison

Cornell Affiliations:

Agriculture and Life Sciences

CALS Undergraduate Research Grant

Funding up to $2000 USD is available to undergraduate students for research expenses, including travel to a professional meeting or conference to present findings. Funding may not be used as a stipend for students conducting the research. Students are advised to work with faculty members to develop scientifically relevant and well-circumscribed research proposals.

Decisions made by late-November for Fall funding and in early April for Spring/Summer funding.

The following is a list of undergraduate grants offered by the Office of Academic Programs:

• The Dextra Undergraduate Research Endowment Fund enables talented undergraduate students in genomics/life sciences and/or environmental sciences to perform undergraduate research. Undergraduate students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are invited to submit proposals. Several grants of up to $2,000 will be made each year.
• The Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station (Cornell AES) has made available $25,000 this year for supplementing current Hatch or Multistate projects where the principle investigator is mentoring a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences undergraduate student in research associated with that Hatch project. Twenty-five projects will be supplemented with $1,000 each to support the undergraduate student's research. The student should be engaged in independent research (i.e. involved in the research process more than doing "busy work" to earn an income).Projects awarded this supplement in Federal Year '22 (FY22) must be spent by September 30, 2024.
• The Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station (Cornell AES) has made available $4,000 this year for supplementing current McIntire-Stennis grants, where the principal investigator is mentoring a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences undergraduate student in research associated with that McIntire-Stennis Grant.
• The Jane E. Brody Undergraduate Research Award funds undergraduate students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Research Honors Program. Up to $500 of funds per student is available. Undergraduate students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are invited to submit proposals.
• S. Ann and Robert R. Morley have provided funds to support research by undergraduate students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The primary objective is to increase the involvement of students in research in the agricultural and life sciences. Undergraduate students from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are invited to submit research proposals in competition for funding. Applicants may be individuals or groups; projects may involve basic or applied research. At least four proposals will be chosen for a maximum of $1,500 each. No student may receive the award for more than two consecutive years.
• Fredric (Fred) N. Gabler ’93 was a CALS alumnus who was killed in the September 11, 2001 tragedy. The Gabler Endowment was established by friends of Fred Gabler and his family to ensure the continuance of the honors research program in CALS. The fund will provide financial assistance to an undergraduate researcher enrolled in the CALS Research Honors program. 
• The Michael W. Berns BS ’64, MS ’66, PhD ’68 Undergraduate Research Award provides support to undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences performing research in the life and environmental sciences. The fund will provide financial assistance to an undergraduate student working with a faculty member on a research project, which may take place during an academic semester or over a summer.

Grant Proposal Application Instructions

Proposals  must  strictly adhere to the guidelines described below; those that do not may be returned.

Proposals should include :

• Cover Page/Application Proposal  for Research funds. Students with Microsoft Word may fill out the application digitally. Eligible applicants may apply to more than one program using a single application.
• Statement of Objectives and Significance
• Brief Review of Relevant Literature
• Description of Methodology (detail adequate to evaluate the probability of project completion; statement(s) of expected results helpful if known)
• Time frame (research to be completed within a 12-month period)
• Literature Cited

Additional considerations:

• Proposals should be written in 12-point font with single or double spacing between lines and at least 1-inch margins. Abbreviations within the proposal must be defined. No appendices may be included.
• Undergraduate grant proposals are restricted to a  maximum of 2 pages , excluding cover page and list of literature cited.
• The budget should list the actual project cost; other sources of funding received, expected, or for which the student has applied; and the amount of funding requested from the Office of Academic Programs, including an explanation of how those funds will be used.
• If the student has already received funding for this research from one of these sources, an additional page must be added to the proposal describing the research progress.
• Computers and software purchased with these funds are the property of Cornell University and must remain at Cornell after the student graduates.
• All undergraduate proposals must be reviewed by the student’s research mentor and revised according to his/her recommendations. The final proposal must be signed by the research mentor before submission to the Office of Academic Programs.

A sample proposal is available for review:  sample #1 .

Funding is limited to  full-time students  only. 

These awards can be used for research or travel related to research, including attending research conferences.

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Apply to the Programme

The following guidelines apply to prospective students interested in a PhD in Finance at the Business School. All applications are completed online.

This programme is currently undergoing the final approval process. We anticipate applications will open in late 2023.

When applying, please keep in mind you have the option (if agreed with your supervisor) to move to a PhD in Accounting or Management at the end of your first year, if applicable.

Your application checklist

Before applying for a programme, please consider whether you meet the minimum academic requirements.

Review staff profiles to ensure supervision for your own research can be secured and state your chosen subject group.

Your research proposal is an essential part of your application that will be used to assess your suitability for the PhD programme.

Applications are only accepted via our online application portal. Before your application can be completed, you will need to supply required documents.

Important points to remember

• When completing your online application, you can save your progress and continue at a later date
• For your application to be processed, you must provide all required documents during submission
• You will receive a Universal Username (UUN) at the end of the application process, which should be used in all correspondence with us
• In your application, we firmly advise you to propose a supervisor (or up to three) as part of your application. This will increase your chances of an offer. Please also state the academic subject group you wish to work in.
• In the Proposed Supervisor section of the online application, you must name your potential supervisor(s) in order of preference
• If you require a visa, we recommend you submit your online application at least four months prior to the programme start date
• If you wish to be considered for any of our scholarships please complete your application first, then apply to the scholarship opportunity before it closes

Applications for 2022 entry are now closed.

Ready to apply?

Apply now (full-time)

Apply now (part-time)

To answer all your post-application questions, please see our frequently asked questions .